This book explores the overlapping area of study that discourse linguists
and cognitive linguists are interested in. In doing so, the volume
contributes to bridging the gap between these two large groups of linguists
who share an interest in discourse processing but approach the area from
very different perspectives and frames of reference. The starting point of
this volume is text and discourse.

The book includes an overview section and a number of carefully selected
contributions which highlight central issues in the study of text and
discourse attempting to give them cognitive explanations. In responding to
the current interest in the area of discourse and cognition, the volume has
adopted a wide scope which allows its individual chapters to focus on
textual and situational contexts as well as the context of culture and
society at large. The volume also provides its readership with a useful
selection of methods used in the studies which form the basis of its
chapters. The contributions, all by established linguists with highest
qualifications, present new findings which have important theoretical
implications. They offer unique and fresh analyses of central discourse
phenomena in cognitive light and revealing discussions of the avenues
opened to us at this stage of the development of the study of discourse and
cognition.

This accessible research volume will be essential reading for scholars and
advanced students of linguistics and languages.

Tuija Virtanen is Professor at Abo Akademi University, Finnland.

Date of Publication: 9/2004

FROM THE CONTENTS

Text, discourse and cognition: An introduction
TUIJA VIRTANEN

Language, discourse, and cognition: Retrospects and prospects
ROBERT DE BEAUGRANDE